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Shades of Purple - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday

Up until the 1850’s, the color purple was most often associated with nobility.  Cyrus, a Persian king, wore a purple tunic, adopting it as his royal uniform. Some Roman emperors even forbade their citizens from wearing purple clothing - under penalty of death. During the Byzantine Empire, rulers wore long purple robes, used purple ink to sign their orders, and their children were described as being “born in the purple.”  Why? The reason was that a pound of purple wool cost more than most people earned in a year! The color purple was produced from a species of rare sea snail, centered in the ancient Phoenician city of Tyre. It took as many as 250,000 of the snails, which produced a purple staining mucus, to yield just one ounce of usable dye. After the fall of the Byzantine empire in the 15th century, the upper class monopoly of purple fabric waned - but it was still expensive.  It wasn’t until the 1850’s with the creation of the first synthetic dyes that the color purple became more widely available.  

I, for one, am glad that the color purple is now easily attainable.  With that in mind, this week’s edition of the Three for Thursday blog is titled “Shades of Purple.”  Three items from three handmade artists are featured. The artists are: Cathy of Crafting Memories; Roxanne of watercolorsNmore; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  I hope you enjoy all the different shades of purple found in the beauties shared.

An Artisan Handmade Christmas - Gift Ideas - Week 11

It's hard to believe that Week 11 of the Countdown to Christmas 2019 has come and gone . . . . and there is only one more week left!  When the Countdown starts, the end of the twelve weeks seems a looooong way off. The - BAM! - here it is! And Christmas is approximately three weeks away.  Where does the time go? The ever ticking Christmas clock doesn’t let up.  Those seconds just keep ticking down until the jolly man in red and white leaves wonderful gifts or lumps of coal under the tree.  What is the Countdown? It’s a place for handmade artists to share three of their beautiful (often one of a kind) creations. Need a perfect start to your Christmas shopping?  Shop the Countdown to Christmas: browse and purchase that special piece for that special person! An excellent motto to follow this holiday season: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE! 

Pink and Black Miyuki Seed Bead and Leather Boho Cuff Bracelet Handmade by Kathy of KatsAllThat

It's an Artisan Handmade Christmas - Week 2

Week 2 of the Countdown to Christmas 2019 has come and gone . . . and unique handmade and vintage items have been left in its wake.  According to the ever ticking Christmas clock, there is only 84 days, 23 hours, 5 minutes and those quickly descending seconds (as of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday morning) until Christmas is here . . . once again!   Need a perfect start to your Christmas shopping? The Countdown is the place to do just that! A good motto to follow: SHOP EARLY, SHOP OFTEN! And, most of all, SHOP HANDMADE!

Affirmation and Inspiration - Artisan Handmade Three for Thursday

“More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.” 

― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

In these days which seem filled with words of hate and division, it’s sometimes hard to remember that there is MUCH more good in this world than there is bad.  We just have to be aware of it. The smile of a friend or stranger. An unexpected helping hand. A kind word. Being strong in the face of adversity. That’s why I love the quote above . . . and sometimes use it as my mantra while doing some deep breathing to slow down my sometimes very active monkey mind.